Junior Kristy Pence (Rochelle HS, Rochelle, IL), playing at number two singles, has climbed to within one victory of entering Augustana’s career top ten victory list after a tremendous fall season. Pence, who finished second in the College Conference of Illinois & Wisconsin at number two singles, ended her season with a team leading 17 victories (17-3). She lost in the championship match of the CCIW tournament to Sara Cahoon of Carthage by a score of 2-6; 4-6. With the spring of 2004 and the entire 2004-05 school year left to play, however, Pence has left herself in position to be Augustana’s career record holder for victories before she graduates in May of 2005.

She has compiled a record of 57-11 so far and is just one victory shy of moving into a tie for 10th place on the all-time list with Katie Kozlowski (58-25 from 1994-97) and Kerry Flaherty (58-41 from 1994-99). The school record for career victories is 75, currently held by Sarah Ainsworth (75-21 from 1993-98).

Thanks in a large part to Pence’s heroics, the Vikings finished the 2003 fall season with a 9-5 overall record and a fourth place finish in the CCIW.

Brad Dietzel was selected as the head coach, the 10th in school history, during the summer and his first season was certainly a success. The Vikings opened the season with dual meet victories over Coe and St. Ambrose before classes had even started on the Augustana campus. A solid third place finish at the Whitewater Invitational followed on September 6 as Pence won the individual title at number two singles and Allison McAndrews (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, IA) took home gold at number three singles.

Following the good performance at Whitewater, the Vikings won a hard fought 5-4 match at Lake Forest on September 9. An 8-1 loss to Cornell on September 16 was the first blemish on the record but that was followed by a 7-2 defeat at the hands of Wheaton on September 20. With a 3-2 record Augustana won three straight matches over Elmhurst, Millikin and Quincy before falling to St. Ambrose by a score of 6-3 on September 30. That loss snapped a 13 match winning streak over the Queen Bees that dated back to 1992.

Victories over Loras, Monmouth and North Central left Dietzel’s team at 9-3 heading into the final weekend of dual meets. On October 11, however, the Vikings were beaten by Illinois Wesleyan by a score of 7-2 in Bloomington and then six hours later in Wheaton, Illinois they fell to Carthage 8-1. That left Augustana 9-5 overall and 3-3 in the CCIW heading into the conference tournament.

In the CCIW tournament Pence was second at number two while McAndrews was third at number three. Four Vikings finished fourth in the conference: Christina Seaba (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, IA) at number one, Andrea Johnson (Waubonsie Valley HS, Aurora, IL) at number four, Kelsi Walters (Champaign Centennial HS, Champaign, IL) at number five and Megan DeShon (Bettendorf HS, Bettendorf, IA) at number six. In doubles action Pence and Johnson placed second at number two, losing to Elizca Buys and Kristine Meulendyke of Carthage in the final while Seaba and McAndrews were fourth at number one and Kara Klepp (Pontiac HS, Saunemin, IL) and Gabrielle Ray (Marian Central Catholic HS, Woodstock, IL) took fourth at number three.

While Pence led the way with her 17-3 record, McAndrews was a solid 14-6 at number three while Seaba was 11-7 at number one. Pence and Johnson rang up a 12-5 record at number two doubles while McAndrews and Seaba were 11-7 at number one doubles.

Pence was selected first team all-conference for the second straight year while Seaba was named to the second team.

Augustana has now had 11 consecutive winning seasons, dating back to 1993-94. If the Vikings win one match in the spring it will push them into the double digit victory column for the 16th time in the last 17 years.

2003 COLLEGE CONFERENCE OF ILLINOIS AND WISCONSIN WOMEN’S TENNIS CHAMPIONSHIP